Peripheral neuropathy decisions — 2009

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, but with an effective date set at March 4, 2005.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities have been denied. The service-connected diabetic nephropathy (claimed as kidney failure) has not resulted in a grant of service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current neck disability is not related to his in-service injury, and thus service connection for residuals of a neck injury is denied.

The Board has granted increased ratings of 30 percent for the service-connected peripheral neuropathy of both left and right lower extremities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's idiopathic sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy is causally related to herbicide exposure and other chemical exposures during his period of active service, leading to a grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service or continuity of symptomatology. The claims for PTSD, lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome and sciatic neuropathy, and cervical joint and disc disease are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's generalized anxiety reaction with depression does not cause occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, resulting in a denial of an increased rating.

The Board finds that service connection for peripheral neuropathy is warranted based on the Veteran's exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including the increased levels of depression and anxiety and the gastrointestinal manifestation rated as being disabling to a moderately severe degree, are now shown to prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work background.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and diabetic retinopathy. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and service or any incident therein.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to his request for a video-conference hearing before the Board at the RO in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, DDD of the lumbosacral spine, axonal sensorimotor neuropathy and radiculopathy of the lower extremities, and a right shoulder disability as they were not related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining additional evidence and scheduling VA examinations.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as there was no evidence of a current disability or exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board determined that the RO correctly calculated the Veteran's combined disability rating of 60 percent, and denied a higher combined evaluation.

The Board remands the claims for further development and to provide the Veteran with an opportunity to present additional evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, bilateral peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, stroke, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as new and material evidence was not presented to reopen the prior denials or there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, a low back disorder on a direct basis, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities. The claim for a higher rating for pes planus was remanded for further development.

The appeal is remanded for further development of the evidence, including obtaining additional medical records and verifying alleged in-service stressors.

The Board finds that service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities is warranted based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Vietnam.